There are many reasons why toenail fungus develops. In most cases, the infection is transmitted through family contact. Especially often the disease strikes in the summer, when everyone wears mostly open shoes. Also, in a warm and humid environment, bacteria multiply much faster and become more active.
Most often, the pathology develops in people who want to walk barefoot in public places such as swimming pools, baths and saunas, beach locker rooms and sports clubs. Also, toenail fungus often affects children who want to try on someone else's shoes. As a rule, this happens in schools or kindergartens.
Nail fungus can be the result of a weakened immune system. And even if a person follows all the rules of safety behavior in public places, the infection can easily penetrate the skin with excessive sweating of the feet or with inadequate personal foot hygiene.
It is recommended to wash your feet as often as possible with warm soapy water and make sure to wipe them dry, in summer use powder so that the skin does not sweat so much. This is especially true for people who are prone to colds and infectious diseases.
In some cases, poor quality shoes become the cause of fungus. Often this happens when a person wears closed shoes for a long time, which does not allow air to pass through. This creates a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria.
It is recommended, if possible, to buy shoes made of natural materials, to wash and air them constantly.
Symptoms of fungus on nails
The symptoms of finger fungus are quite easy to distinguish. After all, they appear almost immediately after the infection enters the body. But the problem is that people do not always pay attention to the first changes, thus delaying the treatment of the disease. Let's look at these symptoms in more detail.
- Early in the development of the disease, sweating between the fingers may increase. In this case, an unpleasant odor will be noticed, which is almost impossible to remove. As the disease progresses, it will intensify even more, bringing great discomfort.
- Nails change their color and structure. Most often they take on a hint of yellow, gray and even green. The nail plate can be painted gradually. Also, the nail in the thumb begins to melt. Sometimes it even crumbles. At the same time, nail files and nail clippers do not help to fix this.
- As the disease progresses, the skin around the nail plate begins to become inflamed. A characteristic feature of mushrooms is strong itching and burning. This improves especially if the foot is constantly in the shoe. In summer the itching is not so strong.
- Often, against the background of a toenail fungus, diseases begin to progress, which until then were only stimulants for the reproduction of bacteria. The course of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and thyroid gland is complicated.
- In case the nail starts to get thicker, it indicates that the disease is progressing. Usually, when large growths appear on the nail plate, the treatment of the fungus requires a long time. And only an integrated approach can guarantee a good result.
Treatment specification
When a nail fungus appears on the big toe or if the foot is affected, the treatment should be timely and comprehensive.
Toenail fungus in a child is best treated with safe folk remedies from the beginning of the development of the disease. Or consult your doctor first.
While for adults, the treatment of fungus on the thumb can be carried out with the help of pharmaceutical preparations as well as home remedies. Let's dwell on this in more detail.
Pharmacy preparations
In case the fungus on the thumb has gone too far, the problem should be treated not only with local remedies. It is advisable to consult a specialist for taking the pills. Today there are a large number of them, so it is important to choose the most suitable for yourself.
The most popular tablets based on Terbinafine and Ketoconazole. But the fact is that the tablets have many contraindications. So, in no case should they be drunk by people with kidney or liver insufficiency, as well as by those who have heart problems. Care should be taken that such tablets are taken concomitantly with other drugs. This is especially true for hormonal medications.
For topical treatment of fungi sprays, gels and ointments are used. It is also recommended to be selected together with the attending physician. They help perfectly in fighting nail fungus in the initial stage of disease development. Medicinal varnishes, which should be applied directly to the affected nails, are an excellent help.
Varnishes are capable of destroying the cell membrane structure of a pathogenic fungus in the shortest possible time. It is also beneficial to apply such funds for disease prevention, as they have absolutely no side effects and are completely safe.
But if the nail is affected to the extent that you need to remove it, then there are special solutions for this. These substances are applied to a pre-steamed affected nail, after which the injured site is closed with a plaster and a bandage. After a few hours, everything is removed without pain.
Removing an unhealthy nail is a great alternative to surgery. Ultimately, along with the corneal layer, pathogenic microorganisms are killed and removed. And special auxiliary ingredients allow a healthy new nail to grow as actively as possible.
Popular recipes
You can simultaneously deal with nail fungus and popular methods. There are a large number of them. Consider some of the most common and effective. So warm daily baths with salt help well. They help soften the skin and disinfect the nails.
Kills mold and fresh garlic juice. You need to mix warm vegetable oil with garlic, let it cook for a day.
Lubricate the injured toe and affected skin of the foot every day before bed for a month for a complete cure. Please note that the visible results after the first two procedures should not be stopped, as it is necessary to completely eradicate the entire infection.
Fighting nail fungus is extremely difficult if you start the disease.
Therefore, it is recommended that action be taken immediately upon detection of the first symptoms. Simultaneous treatment with folk remedies and pharmacy will certainly give a good result.